User-Centered Design of Companion Robot Pets Involving Care Home Resident-Robot Interactions and Focus Groups With Residents, Staff, and Family: Qualitative Study.
Hannah Louise Bradwell, Katie Edwards, Deborah Shenton and 3 others
PMID 34723825WHAT IT FOUND
Care home residents, staff and families preferred familiar cat and dog robot pets over unfamiliar or toy-like devices.
They wanted soft fur, movement, eye contact, lap size, adjustable quiet sounds and washable covers.
Key findings
01The most preferred device was the Joy for All cat. The Joy for All dog was second for residents and staff, while Paro was second for family members.
02The design recipe drawn from residents, staff and families called for familiar realistic cat or dog embodiment, soft fur, eye contact, movement, lap size, adjustable sounds, removable washable covers and possible command responses.
03Views on a robot speaking were mixed: some saw potential for speech therapy and encouraging speech, while staff worried about sensory overload and disturbance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
It is a design preference study, not a trial of robot pets, so it does not show whether robots improve mood, communication, agitation or reduce medication. Interactions were short, with each device set shown for about 10 to 15 minutes, so novelty may have influenced responses and long-term engagement is unknown. Only residents with capacity to consent were included, so many care home residents with moderate or severe dementia were not directly asked. The care homes were purposively selected based on manager willingness, and the sample was mostly women, so preferences may not apply to all settings. Some whole-home free interactions were not recorded, so only consented resident data were analysed.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not state who funded the work.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that robot pets improve resident well-being, reduce agitation or replace therapy. The study asked people what they preferred after short interactions and did not test outcomes.